CHAPTER NINE: Memories of the Past
The next morning Elsa woke up with the feeling of dread all over her body. She knew they had to go home that day, and she wasn't excited. She woke up Anna and the two got ready for their departure. Right when the sun was halfway above the horizon, her mother came in and made sure they were ready.
"It's time to go, Elsa." Her mother pressed a smile. Though she knew deep in her heart, she wouldn't be able to fulfill her unspoken promise to the little girl. Everything felt surreal.
They all walked out to the front porch where the king was patiently waiting for them. The servants who carried their luggage tagged along silently. The morning was foggy and Elsa could barely see a thing past the gates.
"Come on, Elsa. We must make haste." Her father said as he climbed on his horse. Elsa had some struggle climbing on hers, but eventually managed to get on.
It took one nod from her father and they both went off into the fog. Elsa figured that her mother and her sister where going home to the castle first, while they went to The Valley of the Living Rock.
After what seemed to be about two hours of riding in the woods, they finally reached their destination. They both got off their horses and started walking up the mountain.
Elsa was struck by the feeling of déjà vu the moment they reached the troll's sanctuary. This place seems oddly familiar…she thought to herself. She quietly observed the surroundings: mossy, warm, and dark and there where rocks of various sizes and shapes scattered all over the place. She could feel a magical presence so she chose to stay close to her father.
"Pabbie! I've come to seek your aid." The king calls out. Elsa was unsure of who he was talking to but she kept her mouth shut.
Suddenly the rocks on the ground began to rumble and roll towards them. Elsa flinched and moved even closer to her father. The rocks stopped rolling right at their feet. Creatures of rock now stood before them.
"Trolls?" Elsa asked out loud, soon all of the attention was on her.
"Your Highness…What ails you that you're physicians cannot fix?" The leader asked.
"Is there a way to rid my daughter of her wretched curse?"
Some of the trolls looked at him with wide eyes, and disbelief. While others straight out gasped.
"You once told me she was born with her powers." Pabbie furrowed his eyebrows at the man who towered him.
"That's what I have thought a first. But I have been doing some research." He paused and glanced at Elsa before continuing.
"She's been cursed by the Snow Queen."
"But, Your Highness, the Snow Queen has been destroyed many years ago. How is this possible?" He asked in disbelief.
Elsa remained silent as her father explained the origins of her powers.
"When King Vegard was still alive, he used to possess a mirror that could reflect not only appearances but also souls. The Snow Queen had already blanketed the world in ice and set out to destroy all art. She wished to create a world where clean lines replaced emotions and the wind cooled human souls. She was told by her loyal servant, the North Wind, that the mirror that my father possessed was the only thing that kept her from fulfilling her desires. She demanded that my father was destroyed, along with the magic mirror he possessed, so the North Wind invaded the castle and killed my parents. However my father had given me the mirror right before they perished, and me and my siblings hid in a room under the castle. A few days later, my elder brother took the throne. The Snow Queen found out that the mirror was still not destroyed, so she ordered the North Wind to take out every last heir of Vegard, to ensure her safety and reign. That night, I gave the mirror to my sister as the North Wind carried me to the Snow Queen's ice palace. She was constantly threatening me, she kept asking where the mirror was. In fear of endangering Prim, I never told her anything. The days went on like that every single time. But one day, I saw my friend Gerda walk down the halls of my icy prison, the magic mirror in hand. She managed to make the Snow Queen look into it and soon she was imprisoned in the glass. I decided to destroy her once and for all. So I found a rock and smashed the mirror into a million pieces. When we went home we found that my brother was dead and I took the throne after that. A few years later, my sister married the Prince of Corona and she's lived there ever since. The night she left for Corona, an odd being visited me while I was sitting on the balcony. The North Wind threatened me that it wasn't the end and he will seek vengeance."
"You said Elsa is cursed by the Snow Queen." Pabbie said.
"Yes, that's just it. I found out that the North Wind collected every fragment of the shattered mirror and kept it in a jar so the Snow Queen's magic could flow out of it. However, it was not enough to fully revive her. The magic needed-"
"A host." Pabbie finished with realization. The king carefully nodded in confirmation.
"You want me to remove her magic?" The troll asked waiting for confirmation.
"Precisely."
"I'll do what I can." He said. Pabbie walked over to Elsa and gestured his hand to follow him. She followed the troll to a flat stone bed that lay 5 meters across 3 meters wide and a meter high.
"Elsa, if you would be so kind to lie down." He told her. She flicked her head to her father and gave him a reluctant look.
"Do as he says, Elsa."
She did as the troll said and lied down on the stone bed.
"Now, do not move until the process is over." Pabbie said. With a few waves of his hands, Elsa fell into a deep sleep. He began chanting words foreign to the king and he waved his hands over her body. A green light began to hover over Elsa and move with every flick of Pabbie's wrist. Suddenly the light disappeared, and Pabbie looked up to meet the king's eyes as he said, "The magic is already intertwined with her soul. If I try to remove it, I might end her life..."
The king looked down in gloom.
"What will happen if we leave the magic there?" Kai asked.
"She will probably turn into the Snow Queen and once again cover the lands with eternal ice and snow." Pabbie saw the king's eyebrows furrow.
"I will not let that happen! We must end her!" The king raged.
Pabbie was taken aback by the king's sudden outburst. He stared at him wide-eyed.
"But Your Majesty…-"Pabbie tried reasoning.
"The more time we waste fooling around, the more the Snow Queen's magic will do its work. Now, end her!" The King ordered.
Pabbie sighed and waved his hands over Elsa once again. He stared at her nearly perfect face while doing so. He remembered how frightened she was the first time they went to that place. How she clung to her father for comfort. How she worried for her sister's health. No, she was nothing like the Snow Queen. She didn't have a frozen heart.
Pabbie's hands stopped in mid-air right before setting them down to his sides. He stepped off the rock that was boosting him up and rolled over to the other trolls.
"I'm sorry, Your Majesty. I cannot do it." He said in shame and pity for the little girl.
"Fools! You don't know how dangerous SHE is! Fine I'll do it myself!" He said as he unsheathed his sword and held it with both hands above his head.
Elsa felt like time slowed down. The moment her eyes opened, she saw her father swing his sword in her direction, aimed at her neck. She let out a scream when she realized what he was doing. She closed her eyes in fright. The stone bed was now frozen solid.
Just as the sword was inches away from her face, a light blue glow surrounded her, acting like a barrier and causing the king to fly backwards and land on the mossy ground. The sword landed several feet away from his fingertips.
The trolls merely watched and gasped at the sudden turn of events.
Elsa still had her eyes shut and was expecting the cold metal to cut through her body, but none came. She opened one eye in confusion, and the moment she verified that the sword was nowhere in sight she opened her other eye. She searched for an explanation and immediately found one. Her father was lying on the ground, rubbing his forehead and grumbling something incomprehensible. She wondered what had happened. She glanced at Pabbie for further explanation.
"Magic." He cheerfully said back.
When the king was on his feet again, he neared Elsa with an apologetic look.
"Elsa, my daughter, please forgive me. I don't know what's gotten into me."
Elsa eyed him closely with a hint of reluctance. After a few seconds of staring into his green eyes, she sighed.
"I forgive you, Papa." She stifled a smile. Kai smiled back before speaking.
"Let's go home Elsa. I'll find out how to get rid of your powers. Don't worry. You'll be relieved of the curse placed upon you by the Snow Queen." He reassured. Elsa nodded before running back to their horses. But father, isn't it a little too late? I've grown to love my powers now…she thought to herself.
The King shortly followed. However, just before Kai got out of earshot, Pabbie said something that made the King stop in his tracks before continuing.
"I see you are possessed by Chaos." He said when he noticed Kai's green irises flash a pale yellow color. However he wasn't frightened, he had dealt with the spirit before…
The king didn't pay him a second glance. He just continued down the mountain.
When the king and the princess were nowhere to be seen, Pabbie heard a small rustle coming from behind a small boulder.
"Show yourself!" He demanded.
Slowly stepping away from his hiding place, the brown-haired boy held his hands up in the air.
"What did you hear?" the elder troll asked in uneasiness.
"Everything." Jack simply replied.
A/N: Well, this is pretty short if you ask me.
I'm just making this up as I go along~ *whistles*
mehehehehe...